Centrifugal extractor



Dern 13,1927.

E. J. CARROLL cEn'rRIFUo/AL ExTRAc'ron Filed Jan. 25. 1923 Patented Dec. 13,1927.

UNITED STATE-s 1,652,760 PATENT oFFicE.

EMIL J'. CARROLL, 0F NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR T0 THE AMERICAN LANDRY MA- CHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CENTRIFUGAL ExTRAc'roR.

Application mea January 25, 1923. serial No. 615,437.

This invention relates to centrifugal extractors, such as are used for extracting water or any liquid or moisture from other materials, such as water from wet garments 8 or fabrics in laundries or cleaning fluids in dry cleaning plants. The invention more particularly relates to extractors of the swinging curb type, where both the curb and basket have oscillating movement to adapt the-rotating spindle to assume new positions due to unbalanced loads or for other reasons. The invention 1s an 1mprovement on the extractor shown, described and claimed in my prior application for extractor control, filed July 22, 1921,1 Serial No.`

nimizepwear, especially that due to shaft deflection produced by unbalanced loads either contained in the basket or the result of unequal distribution of the metal in the rotating parts. More particularly the in- 5 vention aims to simplify and improve the bearing structure and avoid otherwise harmful effects of shaft deflection and unbalanced load by mounting the basket spindle in upper and lower bearings arranged 0 to properly accommodate themselvesl to any lateral deflection of the shaft, the interme-` diate portion'of which is allowed to go and come as it pleases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor drive for the spindle of a basket mounted as before stated, the relatively rotating and stationary parts of said motor being provided with maximum clearance therebetween, so that'the spindle can be directly driven by a motor but without harm to the motor parts by shaft deflection or for other causes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extractor of the character described in which the basket and curbl together, or as a unit, are mounted to oscillate from an upper'point of suspension as aA true center, or by universal joint movement, so that all the movable parts of the apparatus are free -to assume proper axes of rotation and thereby minimize all'` inherent dangers in mechanism of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to' improve therconstruction and arrangementof the bearings at the'upper and lower ends of the rotating spindle so that lubrication thereof is simplified and danger of a dry bearing is minimized. c

A further object of the `invention is to provide an extractor embodying direct motor drive of the kind described with suitable means for relatively adjusting the relatively stationary and` rotatable motor parts lengthwise of the motor axis `to compensate for wear and maintain the highest efficiency.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. l represents a sectional elevation from front to rear of one embodiment'of the invention, the guarding gate or door being shown in elevation and in its guarding position; and Fig; A2 is a similar. view of a portion of the machine omitted from the lower right hand corner in Fig. 1. l

The extractor shown in the drawings comprises a suitable curb, or casing 1 forming part of a frame 2 in whichgis the usual foraminous or perforated rotating basket 3 carried by a spindle or shaft 4 journalled in the curb frame as will more fully appear. Thevparts just mentioned are mounted to have oscillating movement as a unit about a fixed point. For this purpose the curb frame 2 is provided with a rigid semispherical head 5 resting in a semi-spherical socketcarried by a fixed support 6. The latter is rigidly attached to any supporting structure and may for example, be fastened to the ceiling of the building or, as illustrated, may be in the form of a bracket attached to a suitable frame 7 having a base 8 resting on the floor or other support. The ball 5 and its socket permit the curb frame and parts supported thereby to swing in any direction or assume and accept new positions to compensate for unbalanced load or because of other' forces, such as the gyroscopic effect` etc. j

In extractors of this type, where both curb and Abasket swing, considerable difficulty has been experienced with the bearings for the rotating basket spindle or shaft, the wear on which is ordinarily severe. Investigationlhas shown that much of this dif. liculty is due to the cramping effects at the bearing sleeves .due to shaft deflection. In other words, an unbalanced load, whether it be due to material placed? in the basket or because of unequal distribution of metal, or for other causes, acts like the balls of the well known Porter ball governor and pulls or bends the shaft out of a straight line, thereby .cooking askew those portions of the shaft at the bearings. Not only does this action produce a harmful effect upon rigid bearings but it also heretofore has prevented the use of direct motor drive to the spindle` because the clearance between the rotating and stationary motor parts, in ordinary motors, is purposely made so small that shaft deflection produces contact between such parts and injures the motor.

To avoid the objections stated, I preferably so arrange the spindle bearings 4as to enable its ends to assume askew positions in the frame or curb parts in which they rotate without bodily displacement relative thereto and therefore without effect upon the operation of the bearings, and I also provide a special motor having maximum clearance between its stat-ionary and rotating parts. In other words, I arrange the bearingsand the motor to take account of shaft deflection and then allow the shaft `to go and come, as regards deflection, where it will. In the arrangement shown in the drawings for this purpose the spindle 4 is provided at its upper end with suitable bearings, such as the Hyatt roller bearings 9, in a ball member 10 mounted in a semi-spherical socket member 11 carried by the curb frame 2 and closed by a ball socket sleeve 12 held in place by a closing cap 13.

At the lower end of the spindle the curb carries a fixed casing member 14 of tubular form and provided with a semi-spherical seat 15 for the ball portion 16 of a bearing sleeve 16. Said casing is closed at its top by a suitable cap 17. The bearing sleeve at its lower end has secured thereto a step casting 18 forming a seat for the usual step bearing disks or buttons 19.

The curved dot and dash line A, Fig. 1, conventionally represents and exaggerates a position the shaft assumes under unbalanced load, its central portion being deflected laterally so that the shaft as a whole is bent to curved form. Obviously the two universal joints between the bearing members for the shaft and the relatively stationary curb and curb frame parts in which they are mounted allow such shaft deflection without in any way. affecting the bearing conditions and particularly avoid cramping or binding in the bearings. Any slight shortening of the shaft vertically by bending is taken up by longitudinal sliding motion of the shaft in the upper bearing, but such shortening effect 1s usually so slight as to be negligible.

This arrangement of universal or self adapting mounting for the upper and lower ends of the extractor spindle also simplifies the lubrication problem. For example, in

the upper bearing 20'represents a pair of threaded rings screwed into the ball 10 and serving not only to adjust the Hyatt rollers but to also carrying packing rings 21 to prevent escape of lubricant between the rotat- 10 ing sleeve 22 carried by the spindle and the said relatively stationary" rings. Beneath said rings the shaft carr1es a' collar 23, the

,upper surface of which is inclined anddirects any leaking lubricant into a stationary 76 annular receiver 24 from which it flows by the pipe 25 to a collecting cup 26. This bearing may be lubricated with grease or other' similar lubricant supplied thereto from a grease cup 27 and may be packed and the 80 lubricant renewed as frequently as desired by merely screwing up the grease cup.

In the lower bearing the bearing sleeve 16a is provided with a series of perforations 28 and the ball portion 16 thereof is slotted ver- .85

tically, as at 29, or is provided with spiral grooves 29% As a result lubricant may be supplied to all bearing surfaces from a stand pipe 30,communicating with an orifice in the bottom of the casing 14, the oil flowing up around the oscillating sleeve 16 and through the openings and channels therein to the bearing surfaces. However, with this lower bearing grease packed roller bearing may also be used similar to those end of the spindle.

The spindle is directly driven preferably by an electric motor, the parts being so `arranged that the rotatable motor parts are carried by the shaft and the stationary parts l0(l thereof by the curb frame. For example, 31

`represents the stationary motor casing provided with arm portions 32 rigidly secured to brackets or portions 33 of the curb frame.

This stationary motor casing. carries the stator or field frame 34 cooperating with the rotor or armature 35 attached to the spindle 4. In the manufacture of the motor the clearance between stator and rotor or between eld and armature is'made sufficient to 110 allow for maximum shaft deflection and is calculated according to the maximum unbalanced condition to be encountered in practice. This clearance therefore is greater than is usually found in motors of this character but the structure results in gains in durability and safety arising from the inherent adaptability of the machine to unbalanced load conditions. Naturall increasing b the shaft diameter its possi le dveflection un 120 der a given load decreases rapidly and 1n this way motor clearance may be reducedif desired or necessary.

For the sake of efficiency, the structure may be provided with suitable means for adjusting the stator and rotor relatively to each other longitudinally of the motor axis, to enable them to be adjusted to and held' in the most efficient position. The drawings show for this purpose shims 36 between the 180 at the upper 95 arms 32 and curb frame -parts`33. As the arts wear and the basket spindle settles own shims 36 can be inserted or tak'en out according to whether the arms 32 are supported beneath or above the members 331:0

. compensate. Any other adjusting arrangement would be suitable for the purpose.

The electrical` equipment for this structure may be adapted for either A.l C. or D. Cf clrcuits and includes the necessary controlling parts to safeguard the operator against injury and insure proper working conditions. For this purpose the machine is equipped with a risin and falling guarding gate or door 40 having rollers 44 travel ing on tracks at the front of the machine toexpose orshut 0E access to the basket opening. Said door is counterbalanced by weights 41 connected thereto by chains or other iexible members 42 passing over pulleys 43.

A 1.An extractor, comprising a frame, a rotatable basket and spindle, separated bearings -or said spindle, means for preventing bodily displacement of said bearings in said frame and for permitting oscillating movement of each of said bearings therein due tQ spindle deflection resulting from unbalanced load and separation of the bearings, and a.

direct motor drive for said spindle including relatively sationary and rotating parts, the

stationary part bein fixed against movementrlative to the rame and the rotating part being carried by sald s indle, said stationary and rotating parts eing relatively arranged so as to rovide suilicient clearance therebetween for t e maximum deection of the spindle at the motor.

y2. An extractor, comprising a frame, a

rotatable basket and spindle, separated bearings for said spindle, means for. preventing bodily displacement of said bearings in said frame and for permitting oscillating move'-,

ment of each of said bearings therein due to Isignature.

spindle deflection resulting from unbalanced dire motor drive for said spindle including re atively stationar and rotating parts, the stationar part lieing fixed against movement re ative to the frame and the rotating part being carried by said spindle, said stationary an rotating parts belng located between the separated bearings and being relatively arranged so as to rovide sufficient clearance therebetween maximum deflection ofthe spindle at the motor. v

3. An extractor, comprising a curb frame member suspended to oscllate in any direction from a-vertical axis, a rotatable basket and spindle, separated upper and lower.

load nd separation of the bearings, and a=` i bearings in said member for said spindle,

means whereby each of said bearings 1s per- Irlitted to assume an -askew position in said curb member due to spindle deflection resulting from unbalanced load but without .effect upon the operation of said bearings,

dle respectively, and means whereby thel stationary motor parts may be adjusted on said curb member relative to lthe rotating motor parts and longitudinally of the spindle axis. v

In testimony whereof I hereby aiix my EMILl J: CARROLL.' 

